Riding Crans-Montana

The track passes between blueberry bushes and spruce trees, piqued with moments of weightlessness. On the port side, the Rhône Valley sprawls below, topped in the south by the 4,000-m peaks half-lost in the bluish aclouds. The white snow of the Weisshorn, the Dent Blanche and the Matterhorn sparkles. Vine-covered slopes give way to orchards below. All of Valais lies before you in a single glance and the stress of everyday life fades away.

Biking’s major disciplines
There are no less than 22 cross-country and enduro itineraries, totalling 131 km, across the southern slopes of the Bernese Alps above Crans-Montana. You can even treat yourself to a superb 2,350 m descent into the valley! There’s something for everyone, from the very fun and accessible Family Loop along Lake Moubra, to a brand-new AlpRide-certified track across Alpine landscapes, which departs from the Plaine Morte Glacier and goes via Lac de Huiton, the Col des Gendarmes, the Ertenze Valley and the Col du Pochet. “It’s a demanding trail, but is absolutely unforgettable for seasoned mountain bikers”, highlights Crans-Montana Tourism & Congress Director Bruno Huggler.

“The Crans-Montana mountain biking domain is incredibly diverse with tracks that run from the Rhône plain to the Plaine Morte Glacier at 3,000 m in altitude! The lower-altitude trails are generally open from March to November, while the ones near the ski resort are open from May to October, with the highest-altitude trails opening closer to late June — so there’s a lot of seasonal flexibility for discovering these outstanding landscapes!”

“The ski resort has the infrastructure and the appropriate terrain to accommodate several major disciplines, including enduro, downhill and cross-country. After hosting two successful editions of the Enduro World Series, we’re now focusing on cross-country for the upcoming 2025 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships. It’s a spectacular discipline, which receives a lot of media coverage, and is the only discipline included in the Olympics. But we will certainly continue to develop downhill as well!”

Thrilling rides
This year, from June to October, all eyes will be on Crans-Montana’s Bike Park. A quick ride aboard the gondola to Cry d’Er is all it takes to reach three DH (downhill) tracks — and a new green initiation track that opens this summer. The red Mont-Lachaux combines quick flowlines along grassy ridges, banked corners, small jumps and forest tree roots — which may leave you rattled (but invigorated)! A bit lower, the blue Merbé track, lined in Fireweed, is perfect for first timers, while the rocky, black Chetseron is perfect for shaking you to the core. “The track received positive feedback from UCI Mountain Bike World Series Officials, who think it has real potential for a World Cup event”, added Bruno Huggler. Either way, expect 400-500 m of altitude drop and 7-10 minutes of adrenaline.

Real daredevils should hire a guide if they expect to successfully navigate the long, mineral and powdery descent of the Plaine Morte hillsides, which is peppered with névés of all sizes (and depths!). Be ready to put a foot down to avoid going headfirst into the slush, enjoy a slice of pie at the Wildstrubel cabin, then fly toward the beautiful waters of the Tseuzier Dam, over large switchbacks that alternate with quick runs, tight curves and many pitfalls. Tunnel ahead! The horizon fills with glacial-blue and forest-green. You start to hear the Hérens cattle cowbells over your screeching brakes. From here, the rest of the journey is up to you: finish with the PostBus for the most hassle-free route back to the station, or continue down via a death-defying bisse…

crans-montana.ch